JP2011194609A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for eliminating "a deviation in height" between first and second carriages when the deviation in height occurs, in a state where both carriages are separated from each other while drive connection between both elevating means is interrupted, in a recording device in which the first carriage and the second carriage can be separated/connected from/to each other, and heights of both head holders are adjusted by the elevating means which are driven in common, in accordance with the thickness of a recording paper in a state where both carriages are connected to each other.SOLUTION: One of the elevating means is secured to be driven even in such a state that the carriages are separated from each other, and then, the height of the head is adjusted by using the elevating means to eliminate "deviation".

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using an ink jet system such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile.

Regarding the image forming apparatus using the ink jet system, there are the following known techniques (a) to (d) and non-known techniques (e) to (f).
(A): In a liquid discharge type image forming apparatus, if the distance (gap) between a recording head that discharges a droplet and the paper fluctuates, the droplet landing position varies, so the recording head and the paper The gap must be kept constant with high accuracy. There is a mechanism that adjusts the height of a guide member such as a guide rod that movably supports the carriage on which the recording head is mounted in order to cope with the case where the thickness of the paper changes. A first bearing member that is pivotable to the member and is eccentric to the pivot center and is mounted on both ends of the guide shaft; and a pivot member that is pivotable to the frame member and that is eccentric to the pivot center and the both ends of the shaft body There is a technology that includes a second bearing member that is attached to the first bearing member, and a link member that directly connects the first bearing member and the second bearing member (see Patent Document 1).

(B): A holder member for holding a plurality of heads is mounted in the carriage, the holder member is installed on a plurality of eccentric cams arranged in parallel in the carriage, and the eccentric cam is rotated by rotating the gap L adjustment lever. There is a technique in which a plurality of heads are moved up and down together with the holder by rotating them simultaneously at the same angle (see Patent Document 2).

(C): In a serial printer for recording on a recording medium arranged in a recording area by an ink jet recording head, a driving source, a carrier for reciprocating the ink jet recording head along the recording area, and the driving source A movable member that can move along the moving direction of the carrier in response to the driving force from the carrier, and the carrier and the movable member are connected to the carrier and the movable member to connect and move the carrier and the movable member together. A coupling mechanism; a capping mechanism disposed in a position where the ink jet recording head can be capped within the movable region of the carrier; and a position where the ink jet recording head mounted on the carrier is capped by the capping mechanism. When the carrier is positioned on the carrier, the carrier and the moving member Serial printer characterized by having a a release mechanism for releasing the (see Patent Document 3).

(D): a first carriage capable of linear movement parallel to the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head; and independent of the first carriage in a direction parallel to the linear movement direction of the first carriage. A second carriage capable of linear movement and a single drive source, wherein the first carriage can be linearly moved; and the second carriage A carriage operation control mechanism (including a connection and separation mechanism for two carriages) capable of taking a state in which the ink can be linearly moved, and ink is ejected from the ink ejection surface to the first carriage. A wiper to be removed, a sheet that receives ink ejected from the inkjet head, a cap that seals the ink ejection surface, and a shutter that covers the ink ejection surface At least one of the first and second shutters is attached, and the second carriage includes the wiper, the sheet, the cap, and the shutter attached to the first carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus having at least one of different ones attached thereto (see Patent Document 4).

  In the techniques (a) and (b), the height of the carriage is made variable so that the recording apparatus with one carriage can handle a thick sheet and a thin sheet. C) relates to a serial printer equipped with a black carrier and a color carrier. When both carriers are used, both carriers can be moved together by simply driving the black carrier with a driving force. This is intended to prevent ink drying of the nozzles of the color head group and to prevent dust from entering, and there is no disclosure about adjusting the height of the carriage between the two carriages. The above (d) is an arrangement in which a wiper, a sheet, a cap, a shutter, and the like are efficiently separated and separated from each other in order to save space in a recording apparatus equipped with two carriages. There is no disclosure regarding the height adjustment of the carriage between the two.

  (E): The first carriage has a first carriage and a second carriage, and the head lifting drive connection means of the first carriage is changed to the second recording head lift drive connection means of the second carriage in order to cope with the case where the thickness of the paper changes. The first carriage is provided with a storage / connection means that can be connected to the other end of the head so that the drive for raising and lowering the head is transmitted, and can be in a storage state in which the connection is released. A technique for interlocking the storing / connecting operation of the head lifting drive connecting means with the connecting / releasing operation of the first carriage and the second carriage by the connecting / releasing means.

(F): In the system in which the black carriage and the color carriage are coupled in the main scanning direction via the coupling means, since the apparatus becomes large in the main scanning direction, recording is performed only with the black carriage to save space. In order to prevent the color carriage gripper and the color carriage of the scanning carrier from colliding in the main scanning direction between the recording area and the color carriage moisturizing mechanism, the color carriage is moved vertically in the black carriage. And a pin member arranged to be movable up and down (separated) from a separation / coupling mechanism that separates and couples the color carriage with respect to the black carriage provided on the maintenance / recovery mechanism side. Then, the pin member is urged upward to hold the color carriage at a height position where it is not placed on the placement portion of the black carriage. An elastic member such as a spring member, the color carriage is placed and coupled to the placement portion of the black carriage by lowering the pin member, and the color carriage is lifted from the black carriage by raising the pin member Spacing technology.

The above-described known techniques (a) to (d) disclose means for displacing the height position of the carriage in order to cope with a case where the thickness of the paper changes in a configuration having one carriage. However, there is no disclosure of means for displacing the height of the carriage using a common drive source in a configuration having a plurality of carriages.
In the (e) and (f) unknown technologies, there are monochrome recording heads, monochrome carriages equipped with color recording heads, and color carriages, respectively, and image formation corresponding to recording media having different thicknesses. In an image forming apparatus using an ink jet method that can be used, (1) a mechanism for avoiding collision / interference between a monochrome carriage and a color carriage and (2) a thickness of a recording medium to be used, which are necessary for image formation Although it is a technique for the raising / lowering operation of the recording head performed accordingly, it is an independent technique, and there is no technique with both contents.

  For example, in the configuration of (E) above or the combination of (E) and (D) above, the driving force is transmitted to the monochrome head lifting / lowering means via the color head lifting / lowering means, so that the monochrome head and color Assuming a mechanism in which the heads are simultaneously driven to move up and down, the drive system that raises and lowers the height of both heads is connected from the color head lifting means to the monochrome head lifting means according to the thickness of the recording medium to be used. In this state, the monochrome head height and the color head height can be simultaneously moved to set the same height position. For example, when the monochrome carriage and the color carriage are separated from each other, If the drive system is also in a non-coupled state, it can be activated by user operation such as opening the cover of the printing unit and moving a part of the lifting mechanism. If Te moving the recording head height position of the one need arises, "deviation" occurs in the monochrome head height position and the color head height position. If the carriage is connected in the state where this “deviation” has occurred, the monochrome head height and color head height position will remain “deviation”. In order to transmit the driving force to the monochrome head raising / lowering means, the monochrome head and the color head are simultaneously driven in the height direction to be raised and lowered, and the “displacement” cannot be eliminated.

  If printing is performed with such “deviation” occurring, an abnormal image may be generated because the gap (droplet flying distance) L between the paper and each head nozzle surface does not match.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an image formation using an ink jet system that includes a first carriage and a second carriage and can form an image corresponding to recording media having different thicknesses. In the apparatus, when a deviation occurs between the head height position mounted on the first carriage and the head height position mounted on the second carriage, both the lifting drive systems connecting the two carriages are disconnected. By adjusting the height of the head and connecting the elevation drive system in that state, the gap (droplet flight distance) L value between the recording paper and each head nozzle surface does not deviate. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that prevents occurrence of abnormal images due to mismatch.

In order to achieve the above object, a first means of the present invention has a first recording head and a first recording head raising / lowering means for raising and lowering the first recording head, and is movable in the main scanning direction. A second recording head and a second recording head raising / lowering means for raising and lowering the second recording head, movable in the main scanning direction, the first recording head raising and lowering means, and the second recording head A head raising / lowering driving source for driving the raising / lowering means, a drive source side connecting means driven by power from the head raising / lowering driving source, and one end of the driving source side connecting means connected to the driving source side connecting means, the second recording head raising / lowering The second recording head lifting drive connecting means of the second carriage for transmitting the driving force to the means and the other end of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means for transmitting the driving force to the first recording head lifting means. First An image forming apparatus comprising: a first recording head raising / lowering drive connecting means of a carriage; and a connecting / releasing means for connecting the first carriage, the second carriage, and the second carriage and releasing the connection. ,
The other end of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means and the first recording head lifting drive connecting means are not connected, and the first carriage and the second carriage are connected by the connecting / releasing means. In the state where the state is released, the drive source side connection means is connected to the second recording head lift drive connection means while maintaining the connection with the head lift drive source.
A second means of the present invention is the image forming apparatus according to the first means, wherein the second carriage is retracted outside the first carriage scanning range from a normal position where the second carriage can be connected to and released from the first carriage. In the configuration having the retracting means for retracting to the position, the drive source side connecting means moves the second recording head of the second carriage up and down regardless of whether the second carriage is located at the normal position or the retracted position. The drive transmission with the drive connection means was made possible.
According to a third means of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the second means, the position of the drive source side connecting means is interlocked with the movement of the second carriage between the normal position and the retracted position. By providing tracking means for following and moving the power, the power from the head lifting drive source can be transmitted to the second recording head lifting drive connection means.
According to a fourth means of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the third means, the follow-up means is engaged with the second carriage and is fixed in conjunction with the movement of the second carriage. An operating body that moves is provided, and the driving source-side connecting means is provided on the operating body so that the driving source-side connecting means performs the following movement in accordance with the movement of the second carriage.
According to a fifth means of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the fourth means, the operating body includes a rotation fulcrum, and the fixed restraining motion is a rotation about the rotation fulcrum. By this rotation, the drive source side connecting means is moved following the movement of the second carriage.
A sixth means of the present invention is the ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of the second to fifth means, wherein the retracting means is at the home positions of the first carriage and the second carriage. A projecting member that is disposed opposite to the carriage and is pushed out from a maintenance unit side that is a means for maintaining the functions of the first recording head and the second recording head mounted on the carriage, and the projecting member is disposed on the bottom surface of the second carriage; The evacuation was performed by extruding.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a deviation occurs between the head height position mounted on the first carriage and the head height position mounted on the second carriage, the lifting drive system that connects the two carriages is not used. The heights of both heads are matched in the connected state, and the elevation drive system is connected in that state so that the value of the gap (droplet flying distance) L between the recording paper and each head nozzle surface does not deviate. Thus, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that prevents the occurrence of abnormal images due to gap L mismatch.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the second carriage is retracted from a normal position where the second carriage can be connected / released to / from the first carriage to a position outside the first carriage scanning range, and the drive source side connection means is provided on the second carriage. In the normal position and the retracted position, drive transmission with the second recording head lifting drive connecting means of the second carriage is possible, so that the displacement of the connecting position of the driving force transmitting means, the breakage of the connecting portion, or the second carriage retracting operation The first recording head height can be prevented by moving up and down only at the second recording head height position when there is a deviation between the first recording head height position and the second recording head height position. The position of the head and the height of the second recording head can be matched, and an abnormal image is generated due to a gap L mismatch between the paper when the carriage is connected and the heads of the first and second carriages. It is possible to prevent.
According to the third to fourth aspects of the present invention, the position of the drive source side connection means is moved in accordance with the movement of the second carriage between the normal position and the retracted position. It is not necessary to move the means by a driving source other than human power such as a motor. By simplifying the structure of the driving force transmitting means, the entire mechanism is made compact, and the image forming apparatus is reduced in size and simplified. be able to.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the operating body includes a rotation fulcrum and rotates around the rotation fulcrum, so that the drive source side connection means moves following the movement of the second carriage. It is possible to prevent the connection from being disconnected by maintaining the meshing of the gear during movement.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the second carriage is retracted because the protruding member is pushed out from the maintenance unit side to the bottom surface of the carriage. Therefore, the second recording head is retracted without increasing the apparatus width, and the drive source side connecting means is provided. It can be moved following.

It is a perspective view of an image recording device. 1 is a schematic side view of an image recording apparatus. 1 is a schematic front view of an image recording apparatus. It is the figure which looked at the state where the 2nd carriage was pushed up by the pin member from the main scanning direction. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the image recording apparatus when the first and second carriages are in a home position in a coupled state. FIG. 3 is a plan view of an image recording apparatus that is scanning while the first and second carriages are coupled. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the image recording apparatus in which the first and second carriages are in a separated state. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a recording head, a head holder, and a carriage. FIG. 5 is a diagram of a head holder support structure on a first carriage (second carriage) when recording thin paper, as viewed from the main scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a diagram of a head holder support structure in a first carriage (second carriage) when recording thick paper as viewed from the main scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a view of the head holder support structure in the first and second carriages when recording thin paper as viewed from the sub-scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a view of the head holder support structure in the first and second carriages when recording thick paper as viewed from the sub-scanning direction. (A), (b) is the perspective view which demonstrated the connection means with the pinion. It is a perspective view of a storage and connection means. It is a perspective view of a storage / connection means and a connection member drive mechanism. (A) is a partial cross-sectional front view of a storage / connection means and a connection member drive mechanism, (b) is a partial front view of two connected joints. (A) is a partial cross-sectional front view of a storage / connection means and a connection member drive mechanism, (b) is a partial front view of two connected joints. 4 is a partial perspective view of a second carriage 6. FIG. It is typical front explanatory drawing of the head raising / lowering drive source (The figure which looked at the right side board from the right side). It is the perspective view which looked at the head raising / lowering drive source from the right outer side of the right side board. It is the figure which looked at the head raising / lowering drive source from the right outer side of the right side board. It is the perspective view which looked at the working body from the inner side (left side) of the right side plate. (A) is a view of the second carriage in the normal position viewed from the inside (left side) of the right side plate 4 together with the operating body, and (b) is the inside of the right side plate 4 (left side) together with the operating body of the second carriage in the retracted position. ). It is the fragmentary sectional view which looked at the raising / lowering drive system of the 2nd carriage and the holder from the sub-scanning direction. It is a flowchart of height position adjustment operation | movement of a 1st head holder and a 2nd head holder.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same number is attached | subjected to the process which performs the same part and the process which has the same function, and duplication description is abbreviate | omitted.

1. First Embodiment The image forming apparatus 1000 according to the present embodiment can be roughly divided into a recording apparatus 100 and a paper feeding unit 400. The recording apparatus 100 mainly includes a mechanism that forms an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium (for example, paper) using an inkjet recording head, and the paper feed unit 400 mainly includes a mechanism that conveys the recording medium to the recording apparatus 100. .

[Configuration of the entire recording device]
A perspective view of the image forming apparatus 1000, the recording apparatus 100, and the paper feeding unit 400 is shown in FIG. 1, and a schematic view of the image forming apparatus 1000 viewed from the main scanning direction X1-X1 is shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the recording apparatus 100 as viewed from the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1. The paper feed unit 400 is incorporated in the main body of the image forming apparatus 1000. Alternatively, the recording apparatus 100 may be connected as a separate apparatus. In this example, two types of sheets having different thicknesses are used as recording media, and these two types of sheets are selectively switched and conveyed to the recording apparatus 100 to form an image.

  In the following description, the distance between the nozzle surface of the recording head and the recording surface of the recording medium is referred to as a gap L, and the axial longitudinal direction of the guide rod 1, which is the direction in which the recording head moves, is the main scanning direction X1-X1. A direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction X1-X1 on an arbitrary virtual plane indicating the main scanning direction X1-X1 is referred to as a sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, and the main scanning direction X1-X1 and the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1 are A direction perpendicular to the same virtual plane shown is referred to as a vertical direction Z1-Z1. In the recording apparatus 100, the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1 is the recording medium feed direction, the up-down direction Z1-Z1 is the up-down direction of the recording head, and the gap L (see FIGS. 9 to 12) is the up-down direction Z1-Z1. Is the distance.

  This ink jet recording apparatus is a serial type ink jet recording apparatus. In FIGS. 1 and 2, a recording apparatus 100 and a paper feed unit 400 are disposed inside an image forming apparatus 1000. In the recording apparatus 100, an image forming unit 402, a sheet suction conveyance unit 403, and the like are arranged. A roll paper storage unit 404, an electrical board storage unit 406, and the like are disposed in the paper supply unit 400.

  Roll paper 430 is set in the roll paper storage unit 404, but roll papers having different sizes in the width direction (in this example, the same as the main scanning direction X1-X1) can be set. The roll paper 430 is mounted on the flange receiver 432 with the flange 431 mounted on the paper shaft from both sides. The roll paper 430 transported from the roll paper storage unit 404 is transported as a recording medium 150 (roller pair 433, drive roller 434) from the rear side to the front side of the recording apparatus 100 in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1 in the recording area. And a driven roller 435).

  In FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the guide rod 1 is fixed around the left side plate 3 and the right side plate 4 inside the recording apparatus 100. The first carriage 5, which is a monochrome carriage, can slide in the main scanning direction X1-X1 by sliding with a cylindrical guide rod 1 for scanning.

  In FIG. 1, the main scanning mechanism for moving and scanning the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 is the main scanning arranged on the guide rod 1 and one side (left end portion) of the recording apparatus 100 in the main scanning direction X1-X1. A motor 9, a driving pulley 121 fixed to the rotation shaft of the main scanning motor 9, a driven pulley 122 disposed on the other side (right end) in the main scanning direction, and a timing belt 10 wound around these pulleys. It has.

  A portion of the timing belt 10 is fixedly held on the back side of the first carriage 5, whereby the first carriage 5 and the timing belt 10 are driven in the main scanning direction X 1 -X 1 by the main scanning driving force from the main scanning motor 9. Can be reciprocated. The second carriage 6 is integrally connected to the first carriage 5 and is movable in the main scanning direction X1-X1.

  In FIG. 3, in the recording area of the movable area in the main scanning direction of the first carriage 5, the roll paper 430 is sub-scanned in the sub-scanning direction Y1- It is conveyed intermittently to Y1. A maintenance / recovery mechanism 8 that performs maintenance / recovery of the recording head is disposed in the moisture retention / separation / bonding region near the right side plate 3. In an area near the left side plate 3, an ink cartridge 70 containing each color ink to be supplied to the recording head is detachably attached to the recording apparatus 100.

  The first carriage 5 is moved and scanned along the guide rod 1 in the main scanning direction X1-X1 by a main scanning mechanism which is a driving means for main scanning. The second carriage 6 does not have a self-running function, and is not directly coupled to the main scanning mechanism. By being coupled to the first carriage 5, the second carriage 6 is integrally moved and scanned together with the movement scanning of the first carriage 5. The

<Carriage separation / combination and switching between monochrome and full-color images>
The first carriage and the second carriage can be separated and combined, and the formation of a monochrome image and the formation of a full color image can be switched according to the separation and combination.

  The first carriage 5 is main-scanned when forming a monochrome image, and the second carriage 6 is main-scanned when forming a full-color image. Since the second carriage 6 does not have a self-running function as described above, it is necessary to be connected to the first carriage 5 when forming a full-color image. Further, when forming a monochrome image, it is necessary to release the connection between both carriages because the above connection is not necessary. The two carriages are connected and disconnected in the moisturizing / separating / combining region shown in FIG. This moisturizing / separating / combining region is also the home position of both carriages. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 have moved to the moisturizing and separating / combining region, which is the home position.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the moisturizing and separating / combining region, the second carriage 6 placed on the placement portion 55 of the first carriage 5 is connected to the first carriage 5 in the vertical direction Y1-Y1. The second carriage 6 is separated from the first carriage 5 by being raised to a non-interfering retracted position, and the second carriage is brought into a normal state before being retracted and placed on the placement portion 55 as it is lowered. The separation / placement mechanism 200 is arranged as a means for preparing for coupling.

  The separation / placement mechanism 200 is a vertical movement means for moving the second carriage 6 up and down between the retracted position and the normal position in the normal state (hereinafter referred to as the placement position), and the maintenance / recovery mechanism 8. And a pin member 201 which is pushed out from the maintenance unit and arranged to be movable up and down (here, up and down), and the second carriage 6 is lifted upward by urging the pin member 201 upward. And an elastic member 202 such as a spring member that can be held at a height above the placement portion 55 of the first carriage 5 and not in contact therewith.

  In FIG. 4, when the two carriages are connected, the first carriage 5 is in a state where the second carriage 6 is placed on both sides in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1. As a result, stable mounting is possible and the coupled state is also stabilized. In order to be placed on both sides in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, the first carriage 5 is provided with two placement portions 55, 55 for placing both ends of the second carriage 6 in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1. ing. A notch (hereinafter referred to as an open space) 56 is formed between the mounting portions 55 and 55. The open space 56 is a space through which liquid droplets discharged from the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 pass when the second carriage 6 is placed on the placing portion 55, and for the recording head described later. The cap 77, the second carriage lifting / lowering pin member 201, and the like serve as a space for moving up and down (moving).

  The second carriage 6 can be moved in the vertical direction Y1-Y1 as a configuration for enabling coupling and release of the first carriage 5, and the vertical direction at the home position in the main scanning direction X1-X1. Takes two positions. The two positions are a placement position when the second carriage is placed on the placement portion 55 of the first carriage, and a retreat position above the placement position.

  The retreat position is a height position at which the first carriage 5 can be allowed to enter under the interference with the mounting portion 55 when moving in the main scanning direction X1-X1.

  The maintenance / recovery mechanism 8 is provided with a cap 77 that opens and closes the nozzle opening of the recording head so as to be able to open and close. The first recording heads 71 and 72 of the first carriage 5 and the second recording head 73 of the second carriage 6 are provided. 74, 75 can be capped. The cap 77 is operated by the maintenance / recovery mechanism 8, and the position of each carriage is fixed to the home position via the cap 77 under the capping state. At the home position, the cap 77 can move up and down following the up and down movement of the second carriage. In addition, when each carriage moves in the main scanning direction X1-X1, the cap 77 is lowered in advance by the cap retracting operation control to release the capping state.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the first carriage 5 is separated in the main scanning direction X1-X1 with respect to the second carriage 6 pushed up by the pin member 201 and in the retracted position. Assuming that the first and second carriages are combined, a process will be described.

(A): At the home positions of both carriages, the main scanning motor 9 is driven with the pin member 201 pushing up the second carriage 6, and the first carriage 5 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the main scanning direction X1. -Move to the home position to the right with X1. Due to this movement, the placement portion 55 of the first carriage 5 enters under the second carriage 6, the second carriage 6 is positioned above the placement portion 55, and an end portion (for example, a side plate portion) of the first carriage 5 is moved. The end portion (for example, the side plate portion) of the second carriage 6 is opposed to and approached.

(B): As the pin member 201 descends toward the maintenance / recovery mechanism 8 that is the home position of the pin member 201, the second carriage 6 descends from its retracted position under its own weight. The carriage 6 stops being lowered while being placed on the placement portion 55 (the placement position).

By setting the states (A) and (B), the ends of both carriages are brought into contact with each other. On top of that,
(C) The ends of both carriages in the main scanning direction X1-X1 which are abutted are connected by being connected by a connecting member 49 (described later in connection / release means) which is a part of the connection / release means. Such a connected state is made when a full-color image is formed. If the first carriage 5 is moved in this connected state, as shown in FIG. 6, the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are integrally connected by a connecting member 49 provided on the first carriage 5 side. Thus, it moves on the guide rod 1 in the main scanning direction X1-X1, and thus the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are moved together. Since the second carriage 6 that is a color carriage cannot be moved alone, in this way, it is combined with the first carriage 5 to form a full-color image.

When releasing the connection from the connected state to the state shown in FIG. 3, the reverse is performed in the reverse order to the above.
That is,
(C '): Both carriages are moved to the home position where the maintenance / recovery mechanism 8 is located, and the connection by the connection / release means is released.
(B ′): The pin member 201 is lifted from the maintenance / recovery mechanism 8 to lift the second carriage 6 and move to the retracted position. As a result, a gap is formed in the vertical direction between the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6, so there is no interference with the second carriage 6 when the first carriage 5 is moved.
(A ′): The first carriage 5 is moved away from the right side plate 4 in the main scanning direction X1-X1 under the raised state. FIG. 7 illustrates this state, which is executed when a monochrome image is formed. The second carriage 6 is held in the retracted state lifted by the pin member 201 at the home position. Thus, with the second carriage 6 lifted to the retracted position at the home position in the main scanning direction X1-X1, only the first carriage 5 is moved in the main scanning direction X1-X1, and a monochrome image is formed. It is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 7, when only the first carriage 5 is driven in the main scanning direction X 1 -X 1 without connecting the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6, the second carriage 6 is moved by the maintenance mechanism 8. The cap 77 is closed and held in position. As described above, the second recording heads 73 to 75 of the second carriage 6 can be kept in a protected state, and the life of the second recording heads 73 to 75 of the second carriage 6 can be extended. By placing the cap 77 in a closed state, it is possible to suppress wasteful color ink consumption during monochrome printing.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an open space 56 is formed between the placement portions 55 and 55 of the first carriage 5, and the second recording head 73 and the second recording head 73 of the second carriage 6 are formed in the open space 56. 74, 75 and the pin member 201 of the vertical movement mechanism 200 are accommodated, so that the pin member 201 does not collide with the first carriage 5.

  As described above, the separation of the second carriage 6 from the first carriage 5 and the return to the pre-separation (loading state) are performed in directions other than the main scanning direction X1-X1, in this example, the vertical direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. The process is performed from Y1-Y1. In addition, with the configuration in which both carriages are connected to each other with the end portions of both carriages sandwiched by connecting and releasing means that move up and down while the carriages are in contact with each other, the first carriage and the second carriage are connected to the intermediate member as in Patent Document 3. The width of the recording apparatus 100 in the main scanning direction can be narrowed compared to the configuration in which the recording apparatus 100 is separated and combined in the main scanning direction via the first and second carriages 6 and the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are separated while suppressing an increase in size of the apparatus. Can be combined.

[Configuration of recording head, head holder, carriage]
<Overview>
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first recording heads 71 and 72 and the first head holder 27, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration in which the first recording heads 71 and 72 are accommodated in the first head holder 27 (head holder assembly). The first carriage 5 includes two first recording heads 71 and 72 that discharge black (K) ink droplets. The second carriage 6 is equipped with second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 that discharge ink droplets of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) colors. The two first recording heads 71 and 72 are arranged with their positions shifted in the main scanning direction X1-X1 and the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, respectively. The first recording heads 71 and 72 are accommodated in the first head holder 27, and the first head holder 27 on which the first recording heads 71 and 72 are mounted is mounted on the first carriage 5. Similarly, the second recording heads 73 to 75 are accommodated in a second head holder C27 (the second head holder has a symbol C in front of 27), and further, the first recording heads 73, 74, and 75 are mounted. The second head holder C27 is mounted on the second carriage 6.

  The first recording heads 71 and 72 are supplied with ink from the ink cartridge 70 provided at the end of the image forming apparatus 1000 via the tube 53. The ink cartridge 70 can be configured to be replaceably mounted on the first carriage 5. The second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 also supply ink to the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 through the tube 54 from the ink cartridge 70 provided at the end of the image forming apparatus 1000. The ink cartridge 70 can also be configured to be replaceably mounted on the second carriage 6.

<Details>
In FIG. 8, each of the first recording heads 71 and 72 has rectangular convex portions 71A and 72A whose bottom portions are slightly smaller than the head body portion having a rectangular parallelepiped shape at the top, and the bottom surfaces thereof are the first nozzle surfaces 71a, 72a. The first head holder 27 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a box shape with an upper opening, and the box-shaped recess serves as a head holder accommodating portion 27 a for accommodating the first head holder 27.

  Each of the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 has rectangular convex portions 73A, 74A, and 75A whose bottom portions are slightly smaller than the head body portion having a rectangular parallelepiped shape at the top, and the bottom surfaces thereof are the second nozzle surfaces 73a, 74a and 75a. The second head holder C27 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a box shape with an upper opening, and the box-shaped concave portion serves as a head holder accommodating portion C27a that accommodates the second head holder C27.

  The first head holder 27 has a shape in which the front (front side facing the operator) of the two side walls 27c on both sides in the longitudinal direction (sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1) is cut off. Further, two rectangular head holder holes 27 b are formed at the bottom of the first head holder 27. When the two first recording heads 71 and 72 are accommodated in the head holder accommodating portion 27a by fitting the rectangular convex portions 71A and 72A into the respective holder holes 27b, the first first recording heads 71 and 72 are respectively received from the two head holder holes 27b. The nozzle surfaces 71a and 72a are exposed (see FIGS. 10, 11, and 12). Since the two head holder holes 27b are formed so as to be shifted in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, the substantial length of the recording head in the sub-scanning direction is increased and the scanning area of the monochrome image is expanded.

  On the two side walls 27c of the first head holder 27, there are formed holder cam convex portions 27d protruding in the main scanning direction X1-X1 along the longitudinal direction (sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1). The lower surface of the holder cam convex portion 27d has a head holder cam surface 27e (uneven surface) that is uneven in the vertical direction Z1-Z1. The role of the head holder cam surface 27e will be described later.

  1st recording head The 1st head holder 27 which accommodated the 1st recording heads 71 and 72 is raised / lowered by the 1st recording head raising / lowering means 500R, 500L shown in FIGS. 5-7, 9-12, 14-17. The second head holder C27 that accommodates the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 is moved up and down by the second head lifting and lowering means 600R and 600L shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 and FIGS.

  The first carriage 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The first carriage 5 is open at the top and has a box shape that is long in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1. The box-shaped inner bottom portion has a step portion 5a, and the bottom portion on the front side of the step portion 5a has a first head holder 27, storage / connection means 41, first recording head elevating means 500R, 500L, etc. There is a bottom region 5b that accommodates.

  A carriage hole 5c is formed at the center of the bottom region 5b, leaving the bottom in all directions. The carriage hole 5c is large enough to accommodate the bottom of the first head holder 27. The first head holder 27 faces the carriage hole 5c, and peripheral members attached to the first head holder 27 are assembled. It is done. In this assembled state, the nozzle surfaces 71a and 72a of the two recording heads 71 and 72 on the first head holder 27 are exposed from the carriage hole 5c.

  The first head holder 27 containing the first recording heads 71 and 72 can be moved up and down in the vertical direction Z1-Z1 by the first head lifting means 500R and 500L. Similarly, the second carriage 6 corresponds to the head holder accommodating portion C27a corresponding to the head holder accommodating portion 27a, the three head holder holes C27b corresponding to the head holder hole 27b, and the side walls C27c and 27d corresponding to the side walls 27c. C27d. The second head holder C27 containing the second recording heads 73 to 75 can be moved up and down in the height direction Z1-Z1 by second head lifting means 600R and 600L using the same sliding cam as in the first carriage 5. is there.

  By moving the first recording heads 71 and 72 by the first recording head lifting means 500R and 500L and the second recording heads 73 to 75 by the second recording head lifting means 600R and 600L, the thickness of the recording medium 150 to be used is increased. Accordingly, the recording head is moved up and down so that the distance between the recording head and the surface of the recording medium 150 is constant. The gap L between the first nozzle surfaces 71a, 72a of the first recording heads 71, 72 and the second nozzle surfaces 73a, 74a, 75a of the second recording heads 73-75 and the printing surface of the recording medium 150 is different in the paper type, etc. Regardless of the difference in the thickness of the recording medium 150, the recording head can be adjusted to a certain distance by the lifting and lowering means.

  The gap L to be adjusted is determined by the user visually checking the thickness of the recording medium 150 and setting the value of the gap L according to the thickness of the recording medium 150 by the user. It can be adjusted by driving. Alternatively, when image data on a PC (personal computer) terminal is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1000 for printing, the user inputs the thickness of the recording medium 150 into the PC terminal, and the PC terminal Alternatively, the gap L may be measured, and the measured gap L may be transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1000 together with the image data to adjust the gap L in the same manner. Further, the gap L corresponding to the thickness can be calculated and adjusted using a known technique in which the image forming apparatus 1000 automatically measures the thickness of the recording medium 150. With this configuration, the user does not need to obtain the thickness of the recording medium 150.

<Various means attached to the carriage>
In this example, the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are provided separately, and connection and release between the two carriages by the connection member 49 are performed according to switching between a color image and a monochrome image. Also, in order to avoid the influence on the positional relationship between the recording heads of both carriages due to the force received when the claws of both joints are engaged when the joints that are power transmission means to the head lifting means are connected, the connection of both joints is avoided. Is performed in a state where the carriages are integrated by the connecting member 49.

  For this reason, it is necessary to connect and release both joints when both carriages are in a connected state, and the connection / disconnection of both carriages by the storage / connecting means for connecting / separating both joints or the connecting member 49 is required. Connecting / releasing means is provided, and (a) the connection / separation between the joints and (b) the connection / disengagement of the two carriages by the connecting member 49 are related to each other. It is designed to make contact and separation. Also, both carriages that are not equipped with a drive source for raising and lowering are in the home position close to the right side plate 4 provided with the drive source 20, so that both carriages are at the home position. In this state, the storage / connection means, the connection / release means, and the lifting / lowering means are operated.

  In the image forming apparatus using the recording apparatus 100 of the present example, the first carriage 5 alone as shown in FIG. 7 in the case of monochrome image formation or the first carriage 5 as shown in FIG. 6 in the case of full color image formation. The first and second recording heads 71-1 are moved while moving the recording medium 150 intermittently in the sub-scanning direction Y 1 -Y 1 while moving the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 in a connected state. A corresponding image is formed on the recording medium 150 by driving the corresponding 75 recording heads according to the image information to discharge droplets.

  The first carriage 5 has a first carriage right joint 23R which is a joint constituting a part of the first recording head raising / lowering drive connecting means, and a drive transmission shaft (support shaft) whose longitudinal axis is aligned with the main scanning direction X1-X1. 26 is supported (fixed) at the right end portion of 26. A pinion 23 </ b> L / P is supported (fixed) at the left end of the drive transmission shaft 26. On the outer periphery of the first carriage right joint 23R, pinions 23R and P are provided coaxially with the first carriage right joint 23R.

  The drive transmission shaft 26 is provided with storage / connection means 41 to be described later. The storage / connection means 41 moves the drive transmission shaft 26 integral with the first carriage right joint 23R and the pinions 23L / P in the main scanning direction. It has a function of reciprocating in X1-X1. The storage / connection means 41 moves the drive transmission shaft 26 rightward (X1-X1 direction) in a state where the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are integrally connected by the connecting member 49. As a result, the first carriage right joint 23R and the second carriage left joint 18L are engaged with each other, and the driving force of the head lifting drive source 20 is supplied to the first carriage right joint via the second recording head lifting drive connection means 18. 23R (coaxial pinion 23R · P) and pinion 23L · P.

  The racks 24RC of the first recording head lifting / lowering means 500R on the side closer to the second carriage 6 and the first recording head lifting / lowering means 500L on the side farther from the second carriage 6 are provided on these pinions 23R · P and 23L · P. 9, FIG. 10, and FIG. 14 to FIG. 17), the first recording heads 71 and 72 together with the first head holder 27 cause the first carriage 5 to rotate by the rotation of these pinions 23R · P and 23L · P. The image is formed while being moved up and down and held at an appropriate height according to the thickness of the recording medium.

  As described above, in the second carriage 6, the rack 24RC in the second recording head lifting means 600R, 600L, the second carriage right joint 18R, and the second carriage left joint 18L are coaxially connected with the pinions 18R · P and 18L · P. Due to the meshing relationship, the second recording heads 73 to 75 are moved up and down together with the second head holder C27 and held at an appropriate height position corresponding to the thickness of the recording medium, thereby forming an image. However, in the second carriage 6, the drive transmission shaft 18J does not slide, and no means corresponding to the storage / connection means 41 is provided.

[Recording head lifting means]
The recording head lifting / lowering means will be described. The first recording head elevating means 500R and 500L are shown in FIGS. Since the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R and 600L have the same configuration as the first recording head lifting / lowering means 500R and 500L, the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R and 600L are not shown in the figure. The members corresponding to the members of the recording head lifting / lowering means 500R and 500L are denoted by the same reference numerals, or the description is omitted as much as possible.

  The first recording head lifting / lowering means 500R and 500L will be described. The first head elevating means 500R and 500L use an uneven cam mechanism with a combination of slopes on a long and narrow rectangular plate surface, but other cam mechanisms and other mechanisms that can raise and lower the first head holder 27 are available. A mechanism may be used.

  The recording head lifting / lowering means is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 17 in addition to FIGS. 5 to 7. FIGS. 9 and 10 show the first carriage 5 (second carriage 6) just beside (main scanning direction X1-X1). 11 and 12 are views of the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 as seen from the front (sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1), FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the connecting means, and FIG. 14 is the first carriage. 5 is a perspective view of the storage / connection means provided in the first carriage, FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the storage / connection means and the coupling member driving mechanism, and FIGS. 16 and 17 are front views of the storage / connection means and the coupling member driving mechanism. FIG. The first recording head 71 and the first recording head 72 are displaced from each other in the sub-scanning direction. However, in FIG. 9 and FIG. Simplified and shown. In FIG. 15, the meshing relationship between the rack 24RC and the pinions 18LP and 18RP for the second carriage 6 is not shown, but the meshing relationship between the rack 24RC and the pinions 23LP and 23RP is also illustrated for the first carriage 5 in FIG. The same.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, the first carriage 5 has a side wall 5 d formed on the first carriage 5 facing the both sides of the main scanning direction X1-X1 along the longitudinal direction (sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1). A convex spring pressing portion 50 is formed along the longitudinal direction.

  The first head holder 27 (second head holder C27) is movable only in the vertical direction Z1-Z1 on the four sides of the first head holder 27 (second head holder C27), and the main scanning direction X1. -X1 and a guide member (not shown) that restricts movement in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1 are in contact with each other so as to be close or slidable.

  A holder cam surface 27e is formed on the lower surface of the head holder cam convex portion 27d (the head holder cam convex portion C27d of the second head holder) provided on the side of the first head holder 27 (second head holder C27). ing. The holder cam surface 27e constitutes a cam comprising a plurality of cam projections 27eM projecting downward, and cam recesses 27eV formed adjacent to each other via the slope SU between the cam projections 27eM and the cam projections 27eM. is doing. The top of the cam protrusion 27eM and the bottom of the cam recess 27eV form a flat surface parallel to the X1-Y1 plane of orthogonal coordinates.

  Below the two holder cam projections 27d (C27d), the bottom region 5b (6b) of the first carriage 5 (second carriage 6) faces each holder cam projection 27d (C27d). Two slide cams 24, 24 (24, 24) are arranged in parallel. These two slide cams 24, 24 (24, 24) are guided by rails (not shown) and regulated in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, and the longitudinal direction of the first carriage 5 (second carriage 6) (sub-scanning). Reciprocating movement is possible in the direction Y1-Y1).

  With respect to the first carriage 5 (second carriage 6), the slide cams 24, 24 (24, 24) and the drive transmission shaft 26 (18J) are arranged so as to be orthogonal to each other, and the right side of the first carriage 5 (second carriage 6). The rack 24RC provided at one end of the one slide cam 24 is provided at one end of the left slide cam 24 in the pinion 23R · P (18R · P) and the first carriage 5 (second carriage 6). It arrange | positions so that the rack 24RC and pinion 23L * P (18 * LP) may mesh.

  As described above, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 12, the first recording head lifting / lowering means 500R (first recording head lifting / lowering means 500L) holds the first recording heads 71 and 72 and moves only in the lifting / lowering direction Z1-Z1. A first head holder 27 whose movement direction is restricted and supported in the first carriage 5, a spring 31 as elastic means for urging the head holder convex portion 27d of the first head holder 27 in the up and down direction, The first head holder 27 urged by the elastic means is supported and supported by the first carriage 5 so as to be reciprocable in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, and the tooth trace direction at one end thereof is the main scanning direction X1-. X1 includes a slide cam 24 having a rack 24RC, and pinions 23R and P (23L and P) meshing with the rack 24RC, and the pinion 23RP (23 L and P) are coaxially integrated with the first carriage right joint 23R as the first recording head lifting drive connecting means.

  The second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R (first recording head lifting / lowering means 600L) holds the second recording heads 73 to 75 and is supported in the second carriage 6 with the movement direction restricted only in the lifting / lowering direction Z1-Z1. The second head holder C27, the spring 31 as elastic means for urging the head holder convex portion of the second head holder C27 in the up-and-down direction, and the second head holder C27 urged by the elastic means. A slide cam 24 ′ having a rack 24RC ′ supported by the second carriage 6 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, and having a streak direction formed in the main scanning direction X1-X1 at one end thereof; And pinions 18R · P (18L · P) meshing with the rack, and the pinions 18R · P (18L · P) are connected to the second recording head lifting drive connecting means 18. Are configured coaxially with the drive transmission shaft 18J, the second carriage right joint 18R, and the second carriage left joint 18L.

<Power transmission means for lifting>
In FIGS. 5 to 7, 11, and 12, the head lifting drive source 20, which is a drive source for the recording head lifting means, is disposed on the outer wall of the right side plate 4, and the second from the side closer to the head lifting drive source 20. The carriage 6 and the first carriage 5 are arranged in this order.

  A drive source joint 19 is provided on the rotation shaft of the head lifting drive source 20 as drive source side connection means. The second carriage 6 is pivotally supported by the second recording head lifting drive connection means 18 in the main scanning direction X1-X1. The second recording head lifting drive connecting means 18 has a second carriage right joint 18R at one end (right end) and a second carriage left joint 18L at the other end (left end), and these second carriage right joint 18R. The second carriage left joint 18L is connected by a drive transmission shaft 18J.

  For the second carriage 6, when the drive source joint 19 of the head lifting drive source 20 provided on the right side plate 4 at the home position is connected to the second carriage right joint 18R, the second carriage right joint 18R → second Power is transmitted via the pinion 18RP coaxially integrated with the carriage right joint 18R → the drive transmission shaft 18J → the pinion 18LP → the rack 24RC, and the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R and 600L are driven, and the second recording head 73, The second head holder C27 on which 74 and 75 are mounted is moved up and down on the second carriage 6 and held at an appropriate height position corresponding to the thickness of the recording medium 150 to form an image.

  With respect to the first carriage 5, power is transmitted when the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are in the home position and the second carriage left joint 18L coaxially integrated with the pinion 18LP meshes with the first carriage right joint 23R. The power image is transmitted from the first carriage right joint 23R coaxially with the pinion 23R · P → drive transmission shaft 26 → pinion 23LP, and the power is transmitted from each pinion 23R · P, 23LP via the rack 24RC. The first recording head elevating means 500R and 500L having the same configuration as the corresponding second recording head elevating means 600R and 600L are driven up and down and held at the appropriate height position according to the thickness of the recording medium 150. Image formation is performed.

  A specific example of connection means used to transmit power from the head lifting drive source 20 to the first recording head lifting drive connection means (first carriage right joint) 23R will be described. 13A and 13B, the drive source joint 19, the second carriage right joint 18R, the second carriage left joint 18L, the first carriage right joint 23R, the pinions 18L · P, 18R · P, 23R · P, etc. A perspective view is shown.

  FIG. 13A is a specific example applied to the second carriage right joint 18R and the pinion 18R / P that is coaxially integrated with the second carriage right joint 18R, and the first carriage right joint 23R and the first carriage This is a specific example that is applied to the pinion 23R · P that is coaxially integrated with the carriage right joint 23R.

  FIG. 13B shows a specific example applied to the drive source joint 19, and also applies to the second carriage left joint 18L and the pinion 18L / P coaxially integrated with the second carriage left joint 18L. It is an example.

  As shown in FIG. 13A, on the circular end surface 23a of the second carriage right joint 18R (first carriage right joint 23R), four convex portions 23b are adjacent to each other in the rotational direction of the joint 18R (23R). A concave portion 23c is formed between the convex portions 23b. Further, as shown in FIG. 13B, on the circular end surface 22a of the drive source joint 19 (second carriage left joint 18L), four convex portions 22b are adjacent to each other in the rotational direction of the joint 19 (18L). A recess 22c is formed between the protrusions 22b.

  When the joint is connected by moving one joint of the joints in a direction approaching on the same axis with respect to the other joint, the four convex portions 23b are fitted into the four concave portions 22c, respectively. Each of 22b is fitted into four recesses 23c. Therefore, by this fitting, the drive source joint 19 (second carriage left joint 18L and pinion 18L · P) and second carriage right joint 18R and pinion 18R · P (first carriage right joint 23R and pinion 23R · P) are made. It is rotated integrally.

  In the example of FIG. 13B, the pinion is formed as the pinion 18L / P only when the joint is the second carriage left joint 18L, and when the joint is the drive source joint 19, the pinion is shown in FIGS. Thus, since there is no rack 24RC that is a direct drive target, no pinion is formed at the drive source joint 19 part. The shape of each joint illustrated in FIG. 13 is not limited to the shape example illustrated in FIG. 13 as long as the function of transmitting the driving force of one joint to be connected to the other joint is achieved.

<Elevation mode>

  In order for the first recording heads 71 and 72 (first head holder 27) to move up and down, it is necessary to connect a joint. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are brought to the home position. It is necessary that both carriages are integrally connected by a connecting member 49. Under the state where the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are located at the home position and connected, the power of the drive source 20 is transferred to the four pinions 18 RP, 18 L · P, 23 R · P, and 24 L · P. Simultaneously transmitted and rotated together.

  Here, the elevation of the first recording head raising / lowering means 500R, 500L will be described. In this state, when the first recording head lifting / lowering means 500R / 500L is lifted / lowered, the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R / 600L is also lifted / lowered by the same operation. Here, the description of raising and lowering the first recording head raising and lowering means 500R and 500L is mainly performed. 9 and 10, the corresponding members for the first recording head 6 are shown in parentheses.

  9 and 10, for the first carriage 5, the first carriage right joint 23 </ b> R is driven by the driving force from the head elevating drive source 20 by the drive source joint 19, the drive transmission shaft 18 </ b> J, the second carriage left joint 18 </ b> L, and the first carriage. By being transmitted to the right joint 23R, the joint 23R and the drive transmission shaft 26 rotate integrally. When the drive transmission shaft 26 is rotated, one end side is parallel with the rack 24RC and the pinion 23R · P, and the other end side is parallel with the rack 24RC and the pinion 23L · P, so that the first carriage 5 is parallel. The two slide cams 24 reciprocate in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1.

  A plurality of cam projections 24eM projecting upward, the cam projections 24eM, and the cam projections 24eM are formed adjacent to the cam projections 24eM via an inclined surface SD in the upper surface of the slide cam 24 and facing the holder cam surface 27e. The cam recess 24eV is formed. The top of the cam projection 24eM and the bottom of the cam recess 24eV form a flat surface parallel to the X1-Y1 plane of orthogonal coordinates.

  On the upper surface of the end of the slide cam 24 on the back side (the side closer to the sub guide 2) with respect to the near side in the sub scanning direction Y1-Y1, the direction of the tooth trace is the rack 24RC of the main scanning direction X1-X1. As shown in FIGS. 11, 12, 14, and 15, the rack 24RC of the first recording head lifting / lowering means 500R is engaged with a coaxial pinion 23R / P integral with the first carriage right joint 23R, and the first recording head lifting / lowering means 500R is engaged. Pinions 23L and P mesh with the rack 24RC of the head lifting means 500L.

  In this way, the drive source joint 19 and the second carriage right joint 18R are engaged, the second carriage left joint 18L and the first carriage right joint 23R are engaged, and the head lifting drive source 20 is driven, whereby the pinion 23R. P and pinions 23L and P rotate to move the slide cam 24 together with the rack 24RC in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, and accompanying this movement, the cams of the slide cam 24 (cam convex portion 24eM, cam concave portion 24eV) The position of the holder cam convex portion 27d with respect to the cam (cam convex portion 27eM, cam concave portion 27eV) is changed, and the first head holder 27 is moved up and down. The second head holder C27 is also raised and lowered.

  An extensible spring 31 as an elastic means for urging the first head holder 27 in the vertical direction between the upper surface of the holder cam convex portion 27 d provided on the side of the first head holder 27 and the spring pressing portion 50. Is installed. The first head holder 27 is urged downward by the elasticity of the spring 31, and the downward movement of the first head holder 27 by this urging force is caused by the movement of the slide cam 24 in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1 ( It is blocked by entering either state 1) or (2).

(1): As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the cam convex portion 27eM formed on the lower surface of the holder cam convex portion 27d and the cam concave portion 24eV formed on the slide cam 24 face each other, and the slope SD and the slope In the state facing the SU, the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 (hereinafter omitted) are lowered to the lowest position, and the bottom of the first head holder 27 is the bottom region 5b of the first carriage 5. Is positioned in the up-down direction in a state where it abuts against the positioning member 60 (see FIG. 15) disposed on the surface and receives the elastic force of the spring 31. Similarly, the second carriage 6 is positioned in the vertical direction ZZ by the elastic force of the spring 31 in contact with the C60 disposed in the bottom region.

  In this case, the convex portion 27eM and the concave portion 27eV formed on the lower surface of the cam convex portion 27d are either the convex portion 24eM or the concave portion 24eV formed on the slide cam 24 so that the accurate positioning function by the positioning member 60 is fulfilled. The height is set so that a gap D is provided between the cam projection 27d and the slide cam 24 so that they are not in contact with each other. The positioning member 60 is disposed in the bottom region 5b so as to support the first head holder 27 at three points so as to be in contact with the first head holder 27 and to stabilize the positioning state. The same applies to the second head holder C27.

  9 and 11 show a case where the first recording heads 71 and 72 are closest to the recording medium reference plane OO, and are applied when the recording medium 150 fed along the recording medium reference plane OO is thin paper. Thus, the gap L between the first nozzle surfaces 71a and 72a and the recording medium 150 is set to a predetermined constant value. The same applies to the second nozzle surfaces 73a, 74a, and 75a.

  Here, assuming that the state in which the inclined surface SD and the inclined surface SU are opposed to and in contact with each other is set to the position where the first head holder 27 is normally placed and the meshing state of the cam is set to the normal state, the first carriage 5 is assumed. Is not stable. This is because, in the manufacturing process, it is difficult to accurately manufacture the cam convex portion 24eM of the slide cam 24 and the cam convex portion 27eM on the first head holder 27 opposite to the cam convex portion 24eM. . Accordingly, the convex positioning member 60 is provided in the bottom region 5b of the first carriage 5, and the position where the positioning portion 60 and the bottom surface of the first head holder 27 abut is the normal position of the first head holder 27. At this time, it is preferable that the meshing state of the cam be a normal state.

  Such a normal state also has an effect that an error caused by stacking parts with respect to the gap L between the first recording heads 71 and 72 and the printing surface of the recording medium 150 can be made smaller than when the first head holder 27 is raised. . The second carriage 6 is also provided with a positioning portion 60 for the same reason. The positioning unit 60 is preferably provided for the first head holder 27 for the first carriage 5 and the second head holder C27 corresponding to the second carriage 6.

(2): As shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, with respect to the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6, the cam projection 27eM formed on the lower surface of the cam projection 27d and the cam projection formed on the slide cam 24. This is a case where the meshing state is brought into contact with 24eM. By moving the slide cam 24 to the right in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1 from the normal state of the first head holder 27, the inclined surface SU and the inclined surface SD come into contact with each other and slide along the inclined surface SD. The first head holder 27 integrated with the slope SU is lifted, and the slide cam 24 is stopped at a position where the cam convex portion 27eM and the cam convex portion 24eM face each other.

  In this example, the first head holder 27 (the first recording heads 71 and 72) is raised from the normal state of the first head holder 27 and is separated from the recording medium reference plane OO, and the cam protrusion having a flat top portion. Since the portion 24eM and the convex portion 27eM having a flat top face each other and come into contact with each other, even if the slide cam 24 is slightly moved, the height position of the first recording heads 71 and 72 is not affected. The state of this example is applied when the recording medium 150 sent along the recording medium reference plane OO is cardboard, and the gap L between the first nozzle surfaces 71a and 72a and the recording medium 150 is fixed. Value.

  The first head holder 27 (first recording heads 71, 72) is moved in the first head holder 27 by reversely driving the head lifting drive source 20 from the state of the present example in which the first head holder 27 is at the highest position. The normal state can be restored. Thus, by moving the two slide cams 24 by the same distance parallel to the sub-scanning direction by the pinions 23RP and 23LP, the first head holder 27 can be moved up and down while being kept horizontal. The moving direction of the two slide cams 24 can switch the rotation direction of the head lifting drive source 20 and can move the first head holder 27 up and down. The same applies to the second head holder C27.

  As described in the above (1) and (2), even if the first carriage 5 vibrates, the first head holder 27 moves by urging the first head holder 27 downward by the spring 31. There is an advantage that it does not vibrate. Whether the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 moved up and down in this way are at a position suitable for a thick paper recording medium or a position suitable for a thin paper recording medium is determined by the first carriage 5. These are detected by lift sensors 25 (see FIGS. 5 to 7) provided on the second carriage 6, respectively.

  When the second carriage 6 is located at the home position, the second carriage right joint 18R is connected to the drive source joint 19, and the pinions 18R and P formed coaxially with the second carriage right joint 18R serve as the second recording head. A driving force is transmitted to the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R by meshing with a rack 24RC described later of the lifting / lowering means 600R. For the second carriage 6, the meshing relationship between the rack and the pinion conforms to the example of FIG. 15 illustrated for the first carriage 5.

  The second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R to which the driving force has been transmitted slides in the sub-scanning direction Y1-Y1, and the concave and convex portions thereof are convex portions of the second head holder C27 that holds the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75. It is engaged with the holder cam surface C27e of C27 and moved up and down on the second carriage 6.

  The second carriage left joint 18L located at the left end of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means 18 is integrated with the second carriage right joint 18R via the drive transmission shaft 18J, and the second carriage left joint 18L. And the pinion 18L / P formed coaxially with the rack 24RC of the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600L (see FIG. 15 as a reference example) similarly drives the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600L to drive the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600L. 2 Move the carriage 6 up and down. The heights of the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 together with the second head holder C27 are adjusted by the two right and left second recording head lifting / lowering means 600R and 600L.

  As apparent from FIGS. 5 to 7, the drive source joint 19 and the second carriage right joint 18 </ b> R are connected only in the case of FIGS. 5 and 7 in which the second carriage 6 is in its home position. In such a home position, the heights of the second recording heads 73, 74, 75 are adjusted.

[Joint storage and connection means]
When the heights of the first recording heads 71 and 72 are adjusted according to the thickness of the recording medium 150, the heads are used to rotate the pinions 23RP and 23LP to drive the first recording head lifting and lowering means 500R and 500L. The power from the elevating drive source 20 must be guided to the first carriage right joint 23R. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 7, the second carriage 6 is moved to the home position in advance to connect the drive source joint 19 and the second carriage right joint 18R, and the maintenance / recovery mechanism 8 uses the nozzle. It is necessary that the position of the second carriage 6 is fixed by attaching the cap 77 to the head.

  Here, after the color image formation, as already shown in FIG. 5, the first carriage 5 is integrally connected to the second carriage 6 by the connecting member 49, and the second carriage left joint 18L and the first carriage right joint 23R are connected. Are connected, the power is guided to the first carriage right joint 23R by driving the head lifting drive source 20, so that the first recording head 71 by the head lifting drive source 20 is driven by the pinions 23RP and 23LP. , 72 can be moved up and down.

  However, for example, after the monochrome image is formed and the second carriage 6 is at the home position but the first carriage 5 is not at the home position as shown in FIG. 7, the first carriage 5 is moved to the right. Before moving and contacting the second carriage 6, the first carriage right joint 23R is moved to the left side in the main scanning direction X1-X1 in the first carriage 5 in advance. Must be retracted to a storage position where it does not mesh with the second carriage left joint 18L.

  Then, the first carriage 5 is brought into contact with the second carriage 6, and then the connecting member 49 is operated in advance so that the connecting operation between the joints does not affect the positional accuracy of the recording head. 5 and the second carriage 6 are integrally connected, and then the first carriage right joint 23R is moved to the right in the main scanning direction X1-X1 so that the first carriage right joint 23R becomes the second carriage left joint 18L. The joint is moved to a connection position that meshes with each other to obtain a connection state between these joints.

  Further, when the first carriage 5 is separated from the second carriage 6 integrally connected by the connecting member 49 as in the case of forming a monochrome image after forming the color image, the first carriage 5 is previously set in the first carriage 5. The first carriage right joint 23R is moved to the left in the main scanning direction X1-X1 and retracted to the storage position where the first carriage right joint 23R does not mesh with the second carriage left joint 18L. The connection is released and the first carriage 5 is separated.

  As described above, in the first carriage 5 having the first recording head raising / lowering means 500R and 500L but not having the driving source, the joint connection operation and the connection release operation are performed integrally with the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6. By performing the connection under a simple connection, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of the coupling position of both carriages. Therefore, in this example, joint storage / connection means is provided, and the first carriage right joint 23R is moved in the main scanning direction X1-X1 to obtain the storage state and connection state.

  When the first recording heads 71 and 72 are not lifted and lowered by the first recording head lifting and lowering means 500R and 500L, the storage / connection means 41 moves the drive transmission shaft 26 to the left so that the first carriage right joint 23R is in the first position. The two carriages are retracted and stored in positions that are separated from the left joint 18L and are in a non-engagement state. In particular, as shown in FIG. 7, when the first carriage 5 is moved toward the home position with respect to the second carriage 6 at the home position, the engagement claw portion of the first carriage right joint 23R is temporarily Assuming that the second carriage left joint 18L protrudes to a position where it can be engaged with the claw, the claw parts of these joints are in a state where the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are not integrally connected by the connecting member 49. This is because the meshing affects the position accuracy of the carriage and impairs the accuracy of image formation.

  For this reason, the first carriage right joint 23R is movable in the main scanning direction X1-X1 and the storage / connection means 41 is provided to store and connect the first carriage right joint 23R. The direction of the teeth of the pinion 23R · P and the first carriage pinion 23L · P provided coaxially with the first carriage right joint 23R and the slide cam with which the pinions 23R · P and 23L · P are engaged are integrally formed. Since the direction of the streaks of the rack 24RC is parallel to the main scanning direction, the rack 24RC that meshes with the pinions 23R / P and 23L / P is not operated in the storing / connecting operation. There is no effect on the raising and lowering (see FIGS. 11, 12, 14, and 15 described later).

  The configuration and operation of the joint housing / connecting means will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the joint housing / connecting means, FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the assembled state, FIGS. 16 and 17 are front views of the housing / connecting means 41 and the connecting member driving mechanism 181, and FIG. ) Shows a joint connection process in the storage / connection means 41.

  In these drawings, the storage / connection means 41 is a support shaft (drive transmission shaft 26) that holds the pinions 23L, P, 23R, P and the first recording head lifting drive connection means (first carriage right joint 23R) coaxially. ), And a support means (support 81) that supports the first carriage 5 so as to be movable and rotatable in the main scanning direction in accordance with the main scanning direction X1-X1. A storage guide 81b as a cam follower, which is a part of 81 and attached to the support shaft 26 via the support means 81, the pinion, the first recording head lifting drive connection means, the support shaft, and the storage guide (2) By abutting the biasing means (coil spring 86) for biasing so as to move in the direction approaching the recording head lifting drive connecting means 18, the storage guide 81b The support shaft 26 is prevented from moving by the biasing means (coil spring 86), and the power from the head lifting drive source 20 is transmitted to the first recording head lifting drive connecting means (first carriage right joint 23R) according to the rotation. A storage cam 87 that switches between a connected state and a non-transmitted storage state (joint retracted state), a storage cam drive source (motor 47) that rotates the storage cam 87, and a gear train are provided.

  In the vicinity of the step portion 5a in the first carriage 5, two support plates 80 are arranged upright on the bottom region 5b at an interval so as to face each other in the main scanning direction X1-X1. The drive transmission shaft 26 is inserted into the circular holes 80h formed in the support plates 80, and the pinion 23R / the one of the drive transmission shafts 26 protruding outward from the support plate 80 on the second carriage 6 side is provided. A first carriage right joint 23R integrated with P is fixed. Pinions 23L and P are fixed to the other end portion of the drive transmission shaft 26 protruding outward from the opposite support plate 80.

  In the drive transmission shaft 26, a support body 81 made of a housing is inserted at a substantially intermediate position between the two support plates 80. An E-ring groove 82 is formed in a substantially central portion of the drive transmission shaft 26 located inside the support 81, and an E-ring 83 is attached to the groove 82. A positioning collar 84 is slidably fitted to the drive transmission shaft 26 inside the support 81 and closer to the pinion 23RP than the E-ring 83. One end of the positioning collar 84 is in contact with the E-ring 83, and the other end is press-fitted and fixed in an insertion hole 81h1 of the drive transmission shaft 26 formed in the support 81.

  A positioning collar 85 is also fitted to the drive transmission shaft 26 inside the support body 81 and closer to the pinion 23LP than the E ring 83. One end side of the positioning collar 85 is in contact with the E ring 83, and the other end side is supported. It is press-fitted and fixed in an insertion hole 81 h 2 of the drive transmission shaft 26 formed in the body 81. Thus, the drive transmission shaft 26 is integrated with the support body 81.

  In a state where the support body 81 is positioned approximately in the middle of the two support plates 80, the support body 81 can reciprocate in the main scanning direction X1-X1 together with the drive transmission shaft 26, and the stroke is the first carriage right joint. 23R is large enough to connect to the second carriage left joint 18L and to release the connection to the storage state.

  An extensible coil spring 86 is provided between the wall 81a of the support 81 to which the positioning collar 85 is fixed (or the end of the positioning collar 85) and the support plate 80 so as to wind the drive transmission shaft 26. Then, the drive transmission shaft 26, the support 81, the pinions 23L and P and the pinion 23RP, and the first carriage right joint 23R are urged in the direction of moving to the second carriage 6 side in the main scanning direction X1-X1. ing.

  The movement of the drive transmission shaft 26 and the integrated object due to this urging force is prevented when the cam surface of the storage cam 87, which is a disc-shaped cam, comes into contact with the storage guide plate 81b provided integrally with the support 81. ing. The pinion 23L · P and the pinion 23R · P mesh with the corresponding rack 24RC.

  The direction of the rotation axis of the storage cam 87 is the main scanning direction X1-X1, and the cam surface has a convex part with a large distance from the rotational axis and a circular cam with a concave part with a small distance from the rotational axis, By rotationally driving the storage cam 87, the pinions 23L and P and the pinions 23R and P are maintained in the main scanning direction X1-X1 that is the direction of the teeth of the rack 24RC while maintaining the meshed state with the corresponding rack 24RC. The first carriage right joint 23R can be connected to the second carriage left joint 18L, or the connection can be released and stored.

  The rack 24RC has a larger width in the main scanning direction X1-X1 than the pinion 23RP, and meshes with the rack 24RC even if the pinions 23R · P and 23L · P move. Further, even if the pinions 23R · P and 23L · P are moved in the main scanning direction X1-X1, the rack 24RC does not move because the directions of both teeth are parallel to the main scanning direction X1-X1.

  For example, in FIG. 16A, the cam surface of the convex portion is in contact with the storage guide plate 81b, and the first carriage right joint 23R and the second carriage left joint 18L are separated from each other. Yes. In this state, the rotation of the storage cam 87 advances, and the storage guide plate 81b is closer to the second carriage 6 when the cam surface of the recess of the storage cam 87 contacts the storage guide plate 81b as shown in FIG. Therefore, the first carriage right joint 23R and the second carriage left joint 18L are engaged with each other. If the storage cam 87 is reversed from this state, it can be restored to the state shown in FIG.

[Connecting / releasing means]
The connection / release means includes a connection member 49 and a connection member drive mechanism 181.
In this example, a connecting member 49 is used as means for connecting the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 integrally at the respective home positions or releasing the connection. A U-shaped member is used as the connecting member 49. The connecting member 49 can reciprocate in the vertical direction Z1-Z1, and in the lowered position, the connecting member 49 is formed by using the side plate of the first carriage 5 and a part of the side plate of the second carriage 6. , 183 (see FIG. 8) are simultaneously sandwiched and the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are integrally connected.

  Further, the coupling member receiving portions 182 and 183 are detached from the raised position to release the connection, and the connection between the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 is released. As described above, the connecting / releasing operation by the connecting member 49 can be performed by reciprocating up and down. The connecting member 49 is driven to be displaced by a connecting member driving mechanism 181 (see FIGS. 15 to 17) configured on the first carriage 5.

  The first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are coupled by the coupling mechanism 181 and the coupling member 49, and the second carriage 6 is pulled by the driving force from the main scanning motor 9 transmitted to the first carriage 5. The second carriage 6 is integrally driven in the main scanning (see FIG. 6).

  The connection drive mechanism 181 is displaced to a position (FIG. 17) where the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are integrally connected by a reciprocating operation and a position (FIG. 16) where the integral connection is released. And a connecting member driving mechanism for displacing the connecting member 49. The connecting member driving mechanism includes guide means (guide rod 90) for restricting the reciprocating direction of the connecting member 49, and the connecting member 49. A rack 49RC, a pinion 48 that meshes with the rack and reciprocates the connecting member by rotation thereof, and a gear drive source (motor 47) that rotates the pinion. The storage cam drive source that drives the storage / connection means is common.

  A configuration and operation for connecting and releasing the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 by the connecting member 49 will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 to 17. The connecting member 49 is a U-shaped member, and the opening side is directed downward in the vertical direction Z1-Z1, and the movement direction is restricted in the vertical direction Z1-Z1 so as to allow reciprocation. A connecting member 49 is slidably fitted to the two guide rods 90 as guide means in the vertical direction Z1-Z1. The lower end of the guide bar 90 is fixed to the carriage 5.

  It is the side plate of each carriage that is sandwiched by the connecting member 49 as described above, but it is a part that is subjected to treatment such as increasing the thickness accuracy and smoothing the surface in order to increase the accuracy of sandwiching. Thus, the first carriage 5 is a connecting member receiving portion 183, and the second carriage 6 is a connecting member receiving portion 182. The gap d (see FIG. 16) of the opposing member that constitutes the pinch that sandwiches the connecting member receiving portions 182 and 183 in the connecting member 49 is large enough to slide and fit with the connecting member receiving portions 182 and 183 overlapped. That ’s right.

  A rack 49RC is formed on the back surface of the connecting member 49 in the belt-shaped region extending in the vertical direction Z1-Z1 in the vertical direction Z1-Z1. The rack 49RC is engaged with a pinion 48 whose rotation axis is in the main scanning direction X1-X1, and when the pinion 48 is rotated forward and backward, the connecting member 49 is moved up and down to be in a connected state and a released state. Can be switched.

  Since the rotation shafts of the pinion 48 and the storage cam 87 are both in the main scanning direction X1-X1, the intermediate gear 45 is interposed coaxially with the shaft of the pinion 48, and the intermediate gear 45 is driven to drive both the connecting members 49. The connection / release of the carriage can be interlocked with the storage / connection of the joint by the storage cam 87.

  Therefore, by engaging the worm gear 46 with the intermediate gear 45 and further engaging the worm 52 directly connected to the motor 47 with the worm gear 46, the motor 47 as a common drive source is used to connect / release the two carriages by the connecting / release means. And storage / connection of the joint by the storage / connection means can be interlocked.

The above interlocking operation will be exemplified.
(A): In the state shown in FIG. 16 (a), the first carriage 5 approaches the second carriage 6 from a position separated from the second carriage 6 in the home position and reaches the home position. In this approaching process, as described above, the gap d1 is set so that the upper surface of the second carriage 6 waiting in the state of being raised to the “carriage retracted position” does not interfere with the lower end surface of the connecting member 49. And the upper end of the second carriage 6 does not rise above the lower surface of the connecting member 49. If the upper end of the second carriage 6 (the upper end of the connecting member receiving portion 182) is located above the lower surface of the connecting member 49, the first recording head 5 is moved in a direction approaching the second recording head 6. At this time, since the connecting member 49 is caught by the connecting member receiving portion 182, the second carriage 6 is prevented from rising above the lower surface of the connecting member 49 even when it is raised to the retracted position. The same applies to the case where the first carriage 5 is separated from the second carriage 6 with both carriages approaching each other as shown.

  After the carriages are brought close to each other as shown in the drawing, the second carriage 6 is placed on the placement portion 55. Further, the two connecting member receiving portions 182 and 183 are overlapped. The pinching portion on the open side of the connecting member 49 is above the connecting member receiving portion 183, the convex portion of the storage cam 87 abuts on the storage guide plate 81b, and the first carriage right joint 23R is stored (retracted) to the left. is doing. From this state, when the motor 47 is driven and the gears rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows, the connecting member 49 starts to descend, but has not yet reached the position where the connecting member receiving portion 182 is captured. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 16B, the first carriage right joint 23R is separated from the second carriage left joint 18L with a gap Δ.

(B): As shown in FIG. 17 (a), the connecting member 49 is lowered to a position where the two connecting member receiving portions 182 and 183 are integrally connected, and the storage cam 87 has a recess in the storage guide plate 81b. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 17B, the first carriage right joint 23R is in a state of being connected to the second carriage left joint 18L.

  Thus, in this example, the first recording head lifting drive connecting means (first carriage right joint) 23R by the storage / connecting means 41 and the other end of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means 18 (second carriage left joint). 18L) is performed after the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are coupled by the coupling / release means (coupling member 49). The head lift drive is connected after the carriage is connected. Further, the storing (retracting) operation of the first carriage right joint 18R from the second carriage left joint 18L by the storing / connecting means 41 is performed in the procedure of proceeding reversely through the steps (a) and (b). The storage (retraction) operation of the (one carriage right joint) 23R is performed in a state where the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are connected, and after the storage (retraction) operation, the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 is released. As described above, the carriage is separated after the head lifting drive joint is separated, so that the position of the second carriage is not affected by the separation of the lifting drive joint.

  After the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are connected by the connecting / releasing means, the first recording head lifting drive connecting means 23R by the storing / connecting means 41 and the other end 18L of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means are connected. The rotational position of the storage cam 87 that contacts the storage guide 81b and the reciprocating direction of the rack formed in the connecting member 49 (vertical direction Z1-Z1) of the pinion 48 so that the connection operation is performed. A relationship with the meshing position is determined.

In the above description, the Z1-Z1 direction is exemplified as the vertical direction for convenience of explanation, but it is not necessary to limit the Z1-Z1 direction to the vertical direction in the implementation of the present invention, and X1-X1, Y1-Y1, Z1-Z1 The invention can be implemented by the direction indicated by the three-dimensional orthogonal coordinates shown.

[Configuration and operation for maintaining connection between drive source side connection means and second recording head lifting drive connection means]
In the following, referring to FIGS. 18 to 25, the drive source side connection means maintains the connection with the head lifting drive source, and obtains a connection state with the second recording head lift drive connection means. The operation will be described. FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of the second carriage 6 and shows the engagement relationship between the second carriage-side convex portion 6A and the operating body 312 (more specifically, the operating-body-side concave portion 312A). FIG. 19 is a schematic front explanatory view of the head lifting drive source 20 (view of the right side plate 4 viewed from the right side). FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the head lifting drive source 20 (a perspective view of the right side plate 4 viewed from the right side) viewed from the right outer side of the right side plate 4. FIG. 21 is a view of the head lifting drive source 20 as viewed from the right outer side of the right side plate. FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the operating body as viewed from the inside (left side) of the right side plate. FIG. 23A is a view of the second carriage in the mounting position as seen from the inner side (left side) of the right side plate 4 together with the operating body assembly. FIG. 23B is a view of the second carriage in the retracted position as seen from the inner side (left side) of the right side plate 4 together with the operating body assembly, in order to make the positional relationship between the second carriage 6 and the operating body assembly 311 easy to understand. The right side plate 4 is indicated by a broken line. FIG. 24 is a partial cross-sectional view of the second carriage and holder raising / lowering drive system as seen from the sub-scanning direction, and FIG. 25 is a flowchart of the height position adjusting operation of the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the head lifting drive source 20 and the drive source joint 19 are connected to the drive source joint 19 and the first drive source joint 19 when the second carriage 6 is located at the home position and connected to the first carriage 5. By connecting the two carriage right joints 18R, the second recording head lifting / lowering means 600 is driven. Here, at the time of monochrome printing, as shown in FIG. 7, in order to separate the first carriage 5 from the second carriage 6, the second carriage 6 is moved above the first carriage 5 by the retracting means outside the scanning range. In this retracted state, the first carriage 5 is moved in a direction away from the second carriage 6 in the main scanning direction X1-X1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, by raising the pin member 201 from the maintenance mechanism 8, the second carriage 6 is lifted from the placement position located on the placement portion 55 of the first carriage and separated upward from the first carriage 5. Moved to the retracted position. 23, for example, when the lower end of the right side plate 4 is set to the reference level, the distance from the lower end of the second carriage 6 to the reference level position is h1 at the mounting position (a), whereas (b ) At the retracted position, the distance from the lower end of the second carriage 6 to the reference level position is h1 which is larger than the distance h1. The difference between these distances (h2−h1 = Δh) is the retreat distance Δh shown in FIG.

  During such upward retreating movement, the second carriage right joint 18R is attached to the second carriage 6 and moves together with the second carriage 6, so that the drive source joint 19 is temporarily moved. If the second carriage right joint 18R and the drive source joint 19 are not fixed while being fixed to the right side plate 4, the relative positions of the second carriage right joint 18R and the drive source joint 19 are shifted, and the connection between these two joints is broken.

  Therefore, in order to prevent this disconnection, the drive source joint 19 is connected to the second carriage right joint 18R while maintaining the connection with the head lifting drive source 20. Therefore, the drive source joint 19 and the second carriage right joint 18R are moved following the ascending and retracting operation of the second carriage 6.

  The operating body Assy 311 includes an operating body 312 having an operating body-side concave shape portion 312A, a connecting gear 313G supported by the operating body 312, a shaft 314 supporting the connecting gear 313G, and a drive provided on the shaft 314. It consists of a source joint 19 and the like. The working body side concave portion 312A is provided integrally with the working body 312, and is provided with a hole (working body side concave shape portion 312A) to be engaged with and released from a second carriage side convex shape portion 6A described later. The connection gear 313 is held by a shaft 314 that is common to the drive source joint 19, and both rotate in synchronization. The shaft 314 is rotatably held by the operating body 312 and can move together with the operating body 312. Further, the operating body assembly 311 can be rotated around a fulcrum shaft 315 as an operating body rotation fulcrum provided on the right side plate 4.

  The right side plate 4 includes a head lifting motor 301, a worm 300G provided on the rotation shaft of the head lifting motor 301, an idler gear (worm gear) 302G meshing with the worm 300G, an idler gear 303G meshing with an idler gear (worm gear) 302G, and the idler gear 303G. A head elevating drive source 20 including a coaxial idler gear 304G, an idler gear 305G that meshes with the idler gear 304G, an idler gear 306G that is coaxial with the idler gear 305G, and an idler gear 307G that meshes with the idler gear 306G is attached. The idler gear 307 </ b> G is pivotally supported on a fulcrum shaft 315 of the operating body 312, and the fulcrum shaft 315 pivotally supports the operating body 312 on the right side plate 4. The idler gear 307G is meshed with a connection gear 313G that is pivotally supported by the operating body 312. The shaft 314 that supports the connection gear 313G is also a shaft that supports the drive source joint 19.

  Since the head lifting / lowering operation is performed in accordance with the thickness of the recording medium, the driving force from the head lifting / lowering motor 301 is transmitted in the order of idler gear 302G → idler gear 303G → idler gear 304G → idler gear 305G → idler gear 306G → idler gear 307G. A driving force is transmitted to the connecting gear 313. Therefore, the drive source joint 19 can rotate via the connection gear 313G and the shaft 314.

  On the right side surface of the second carriage 6, a second carriage side convex portion 6 </ b> A extending in the X <b> 1-X <b> 1 direction is provided integrally with the second carriage 6. When the second carriage 6 is positioned at the home position, the upper end of the second carriage-side convex shape portion 6A and the upper end of the hole of the working-body-side concave shape portion 312A come into contact with each other so that engagement is possible. Yes.

  Therefore, when the second carriage 6 is lifted and retracted at the home position, a force that is lifted upwards acts on the working body-side concave shape portion 312A engaged with the second carriage-side convex shape portion 6A. The Assy 311 rotates about the fulcrum shaft 315 for rotating the operating body. As a result, the drive source joint 19 and the second carriage right joint 18R can be moved up following the movement of the second carriage while being connected, and the mutual connection can be maintained. The right side plate 4 is provided with a spring hooking portion 317, and tension is always applied in the direction (downward) from the retracted position to the mounting position via the tension spring 316 between the operating body 312. The operation body 312 is rotated by the tension spring 316 in the state of the operation body 312 corresponding to the placement position in synchronization with the return of the second carriage 6 to the placement position by the stopper 318 provided on the right side plate 4. It has been stopped.

  The second carriage 6 and the working body assembly 311 are positioned in the height direction with reference to the state in which the upper end of the second carriage side convex portion 6A is in contact with the upper end of the hole of the working body side concave portion 312A. As described above, the connecting gear 313 is provided at the right end portion of the shaft 314 and the drive source joint 19 is provided at the left end portion, so that the right plate 4 does not interfere with the right plate 4 in the movement range of the shaft 314. The opening is formed in accordance with the moving range and the swinging range of the operating body 312 and is open.

  As a result, when the second carriage 6 moves to the retracted position during monochrome printing, the displacement of the coupling position for transmitting the head lifting drive is eliminated, and the drive source joint 19 and the second joint due to the displacement of the coupling position in the vertical direction are eliminated. It is possible to prevent the second carriage 6 from being retracted due to damage to the carriage right joint 18R or the like, or due to the engagement of the coupling position being strong and not moving. The convex portion 6A may be provided on the operating body 312 and the concave portion 312A may be provided on the second carriage side.

  Since the second carriage 6 moves to the retracted position during monochrome printing, the height positions of the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are different. At this time, the connection of the drive source joint 19 and the second carriage right joint 18R is maintained by the rotational movement of the operating body assembly 311. However, the first carriage right joint 23R and the second carriage left joint 18L are not connected because the height positions of the first carriage right joint 23R and the second carriage left joint 18L remain shifted.

<When the recording head height shifts in both carriages>
At this time, for example, when the height position of the first head holder 27 is moved by a user operation such as opening the cover of the recording apparatus 100 and touching the first elevating drive means 500R, 500L, the operation is changed from monochrome printing to color printing. When the second carriage returns to the mounting position and the first carriage and the second carriage are connected, the height positions of the first recording heads 71 and 72 and the height positions of the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 are changed. It will remain misaligned. When a color printing operation is performed in this state, a difference occurs in the gap L between the recording medium 150, the first recording heads 71 and 72, and the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75, and an abnormal image is generated.

  Therefore, before the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are connected, the head lifting / lowering motor 301 is driven at a position where the second carriage 6 is retracted upward. The driving force from the head lifting / lowering motor 301 is transmitted in the order of idler gear 302G → idler gear 303G → idler gear 304G → idler gear 305G → idler gear 306G → idler gear 307G, and the driving force is transmitted from the idler gear 307G to the connecting gear 313. Since the connection between the drive source joint 19 and the second carriage right joint 18R is maintained both in the retracted position and in the placement position, the drive force is transmitted from the drive source joint 19 to the second carriage right joint 18R. The

  The operating body 312 can swing around a fulcrum shaft 315 as a pivot fulcrum, and performs a fixed restraining motion by the swinging in conjunction with the up and down retreat movement of the second carriage 6. By providing the driving source joint 19 in the operating body, the driving source joint 19 moves following the movement of the second carriage 6.

  The operating body Assy 139 is a follower that moves the position of the drive joint 19 in conjunction with the movement between the mounting position and the retracted position of the second carriage 6. The operating body Assy 139 is provided to drive the head up and down. The power from the source can be transmitted to the second recording head lifting drive connecting means.

  The driving force further raises and lowers the second head holder C27 from the second carriage right joint 18R via the second recording head raising / lowering drive connecting means 18 and the second recording head driving raising / lowering means 600R, 600L. As a result, the heights of the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 can be moved.

  Since the second carriage 6 is in the retracted position, the first carriage right joint 23R and the second carriage left joint 18L are connected to each other while the height positions of the first carriage right joint 23R and the second carriage left joint 18L are shifted. Therefore, the driving force is not transmitted to the first recording head lifting means 500R and 500L of the first carriage 5, and the first head holder 27 does not move up and down. Sat remains stationary.

  The height positions of the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 are detected by lift sensors 25 provided on the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6, respectively. The second head holder C27 is moved up and down independently, and the height position of the first head holder 27 and the height position of the second head holder C27 are monitored by the lift sensor 25. The height deviation of the head holder C27 can be detected and the height deviation can be matched. Thus, even when the height position of the first head holder 27 is moved by the user operation, the height positions of the first recording heads 71 and 72 and the heights of the second recording heads 73, 74, and 75 are described. The position can be aligned.

<Procedure for aligning the recording head height>
The control for aligning the height positions is performed by the control means of the image forming apparatus, and the control procedure can be executed by the flow illustrated in FIG. In FIG. 25, when the main body cover of the image forming apparatus 100 is opened and closed in step P1, the elevation sensors 25 detect the height positions of the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 in step P2.

  In Step P3, it is determined whether or not the height positions of the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 coincide with those before the cover is opened. If they match, there is no problem, but if they do not match, the process proceeds to step P4, where it is determined whether or not the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are separated. This is because if not separated, the height position cannot be aligned as described above. Therefore, if not separated, the process of separating the first and second carriages is performed in step P5.

  After separating both carriages, the process proceeds to Step P6, where the height of the second head holder C27 is changed according to the procedure described above. After the height change, the process proceeds to Step P7, and it is determined whether or not the height positions of the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 are the same. The height changing operation is performed until the heights match, and if they match, the height position of the head holder is confirmed in step P8, and the process proceeds to step P9.

  In step P9, as in step P3, it is determined whether or not the height positions of the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 are the same as before the cover is opened. Connect and operate to change the height position of the head holder, check the height position of the head holder in step P8, and check whether the height position of the mounted head holder in each carriage matches that before opening the cover in step P9 The operation of making the determination is repeated until they match.

  In the above, as an example, when the height position of the first head holder 27, which is one of the head holders, is moved by a user operation such as opening the cover of the recording apparatus 100 and touching the lifting means of the first recording heads 71 and 72. Although the method for eliminating the deviation of the height of the head has been described, even when the height position of the second head holder C27 is moved, the height positions of the first head holder 27 and the second head holder C27 are matched in the same manner. It is possible to make it.

With the above-described configuration, it is possible to avoid the displacement of the connecting position of the driving force transmission means for raising and lowering the head, the breakage of the connecting portion, and the inability to perform the color carriage retracting operation during monochrome printing. In addition, when the height of one of the head holders moves and the monochrome head height position and the color head height position shift, only the color head height position moves up and down, so that the monochrome head height position and color head height By providing a mechanism that prevents the occurrence of abnormal images due to a gap L mismatch between the paper, color, and monochrome heads when the carriage is connected, and simplifying the configuration of the driving force transmission means The entire mechanism can be configured compactly, and the image forming apparatus can be reduced in size and simplified.
The idler gear 307G is engaged with a gear 308G in addition to the connecting gear 313G, and this gear 308G is integral with the light shielding plate 319. Since the light shielding plate 319 passes through the detection unit of the photosensor 310 by its rotation, the rotation of the operating body 312 can be monitored.

In this example, (a) the other end of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means 18 and the first recording head lifting drive connecting means 23R are in a disconnected state, (b) and the first by the connecting / releasing means 181. In the state in which the connection state between the carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 is released, (c) the second recording head lifting drive connection means 18 and the drive source side connection means 19 are in a connected state, so that (a ), (B), (c), even if the first carriage 5 is moved up and down alone and the position of the second carriage 6 is shifted, the second carriage 6 is moved up and down alone. By moving the same amount as the above-mentioned “deviation”, the “deviation” is eliminated, and then the first and second carriages are connected to each other so that the recording head of both carriages has the thickness of the recording paper. Adjust the height of the recording head to match the It is possible to prevent abnormal image caused by a mismatch of the gap L of the head and the recording medium 150 at the time of di coupling first and second carriages.

2. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the connection and separation modes of the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 have been exemplified for the image forming apparatus configured to retract the second carriage 6 in the vertical direction. As an example, regarding the connection and separation modes of the first carriage and the second carriage, the first carriage 5 and the second carriage 6 are abutted in the main scanning direction at the home position, and the connecting member receiving portions 182 and 183 corresponding portions of each carriage In the method of releasing the connection with the configuration corresponding to the connection / release means 181, the drive system for driving the recording head lifting / lowering means is disconnected when the carriages are separated from each other. For the same reason as described above, the height position of the first head holder 27, which is one of the head holders, is moved by the user operation. The first embodiment using the operating body can be applied as a countermeasure.

1 Guide rod 2 Sub guide 3 Left side plate 4 Right side plate 5 First carriage (monochrome carriage)
5a Step 5b, 6b Bottom region 5c Carriage hole 5d Side wall 6 Second carriage (color carriage)
6A Second carriage-side convex portion 8 Maintenance / recovery mechanism 9 Main scanning motor 10 Timing belt 18 Second recording head lifting drive connecting means 18J, 26 Drive transmission shaft 18R Second carriage right joint 18L Second carriage left joint 18R / P, 18L · P, 23R · P, 23L · P Pinions 18, 26 Drive transmission shaft 19 Drive source side drive connection means (drive source joint)
20 Head lift drive source 22a Circular end faces 22b, 23b Convex portion 23R First recording head lift drive connection means (first carriage right joint)
23a Circular end faces 22c, 23c Recesses 24, 24 'Slide cams 24eM, 27eM Cam protrusions 24eV, 27eV Cam recesses 24RC, 24RC', 49RC Rack 25 Lift sensor 27 First head holder C27 Second head holder 27a, C27a Head holder accommodation 27b, C27b Head holder hole 27c, C27c Side wall 27d, C27d Holder cam projection 27e, C27e Holder cam surface 31 Spring 41 Storage / connection means 45 Intermediate gear 46 Worm gear 47 Motor 48 Pinion 49 Connection member (connection / release means)
50 Spring holding part 52 Worm 53, 54 Tube 55 Placement part 56 Open space (notch part)
60, C60 Positioning member 70 Ink cartridge 71, 72 First recording head 71a, 72a First nozzle surface 71A, 72A, 73A, 74A, 75A Rectangular convex portion 73, 74, 75 Second recording head 71a, 72a First nozzle surface 73a, 74a, 75a Second nozzle surfaces 73A, 74A, 75A Rectangular convex portion 77 Cap 80 Support plate 80h Circular hole 81 Support means (support)
81a Wall portion 81b Storage guide 81h1, 81h2 Insertion hole 82 Groove 83 E-ring 84, 85 Positioning collar 86 Coil spring 87 Storage cam 90 Guide rod 100 Recording device 121 Drive pulley 122 Driven pulley 150 Recording medium 160 Support base 181 Connecting member drive mechanism ( Connection / release means)
182, 183 Connecting member receiving portion 200 Separation and coupling mechanism (retraction means)
201 Pin member 202 Elastic member 310 Photo sensor 311 Working body Assy
312 A Working body 312 A Working body-side concave portion 313 G Connecting gear 314 Shaft 315 Supporting shaft 316 Tensile spring 3317 Spring hooking portion 318 Stopper 319 Shading plate 320 Opening 400 Paper feed portion 402 Image forming portion 403 Paper suction and transport portion 404 Roll paper housing portion 406 Electrical board storage section 430 Roll paper 431 Flange 432 Flange receivers 500R, 500L First recording head elevating means 600R, 600L Second recording head elevating means 1000 Image forming apparatus D Interval Δ, d, d1 Gap h1, h2 Distance Δh Retraction distance L Gap OO Recording medium reference surface SD, SU Slope X1-X1 Main scanning direction Y1-Y1 Sub-scanning direction Z1-Z1 Up / down direction (up / down direction)

JP 2007-223232 A JP-A-2005-271531 Japanese Patent No. 2785031 Japanese Patent No. 3982519

Claims (6)

A first carriage having a first recording head and a first recording head raising / lowering means for raising and lowering the first recording head, movable in the main scanning direction;
A second carriage having a second recording head and a second recording head raising / lowering means for raising and lowering the second recording head, and movable in the main scanning direction;
A head lifting drive source for driving the first recording head lifting means and the second recording head lifting means;
Drive source side connection means driven by power from the head lifting drive source;
Second recording head lifting drive connection means for the second carriage, one end of which is connected to the driving source side connection means and transmits a driving force to the second recording head lifting means;
First recording head lifting drive connecting means for a first carriage connected to the other end of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means and transmitting a driving force to the first recording head lifting means;
A connection / release means for connecting the first carriage, the second carriage, and the second carriage, and releasing the connection;
An image forming apparatus having
The other end of the second recording head lifting drive connecting means and the first recording head lifting drive connecting means are not connected, and the first carriage and the second carriage are connected by the connecting / releasing means. In the state where the state is released, the drive source side connection means is connected to the second recording head lift drive connection means while maintaining the connection with the head lift drive source. apparatus. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a retracting unit configured to retract the second carriage from a normal position where the second carriage can be connected / released to / from the first carriage to a retracted position outside the first carriage scanning range.
The drive source side connection means enables drive transmission with the second recording head lifting / lowering drive connection means of the second carriage regardless of whether the second carriage is located at the normal position or the retracted position. An ink jet recording apparatus. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2,
By providing follow-up means for following and moving the position of the drive source side connection means in conjunction with the movement of the second carriage between the normal position and the retracted position, the power from the head lifting drive source is supplied to the second carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus capable of transmitting to a recording head lifting drive connecting means. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 3.
The follow-up means has an operating body that engages with the second carriage and performs a fixed restraining motion in conjunction with the movement of the second carriage, and the driving body side connecting means is provided on the operating body. Thus, the drive source side connection means performs the following movement in accordance with the movement of the second carriage. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
The operating body has a rotation fulcrum, and the fixed restraining motion is rotation about the rotation fulcrum, and by this rotation, the drive source side connecting means follows the movement of the second carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus. In the ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5,
The retracting means is a means for maintaining the functions of the first recording head and the second recording head mounted on these carriages so as to be opposed to the carriages at the home positions of the first carriage and the second carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a protruding member pushed out from the maintenance unit side, wherein the retraction is performed by pushing the protruding member toward the bottom surface of the second carriage.

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